Hello again!

We've had a hectic week but we've finally managed to get on here and write another chapter on the blog! We're still having issues getting photos on here but we're gonna try again on Sunday so look out! We've been spending more and more time with the babies, and now its baby season we've been getting a new baby in almost every day! We now have 7 babies; 3 girls (Sabi, Star and a new baby which arrived an hour ago) and 4 boys (Jack, Joni, Makosi and Milo). They're all so cute although not so much when you're getting regularly peed on and pooed on! Jack has been a little poorly recently and has an upset stomach, so that's always fun especially when he's sat on your head (I'll say no more….!). I have my first night shift with the babies (7pm - 6am) on Sunday so fingers crossed they sleep well!! Dave has been doing a lot of shifts with babies too, mostly early (6-10am) or late (4-7pm), and has been a big softy with them (ahem I mean he's been very manly!!). We're expecting a lot more babes over the month or so (60+) and so construction with start soon on a new baby care centre as we currently have to look after them in the office in sick bay.

Dave was very lucky yesterday and was allowed to go into Saav enclosure (due to vervet monkey ranking this is much easier for men than women and Dave is only the second volunteer to be allowed in). Chico, a ten year female to an instant fell in love with him and spent the whole 2 hours sat on his lap! Whitey however didn't really like him and started to eyebrow him (this is what they do when they feel threatened)! Dave was a bit scared!!

I was on construction the other day but it was really hot. We were meant to be digging up tree routes to make way for a new fence, however me and Laura didn't really do all that much in the end as we were a bit girly and had trouble lifting the pic axe!! Instead we did the vital job of 'watering' the boys while they worked so hard!!

We had our orientation with Arthur this morning which was very interesting (although a little long!). We learnt lots of interesting facts:

Vervet comes from the French word for Turquoise (the colour of the male's testicles!).

The first monkey Arthur rescued, named Regis, ended up with Arthur having to go court multiple times due to not having a permit. The foundation actually only received its permit last year despite being open since 1993.

It is still legal to shoot vervet monkeys in other provinces are they are considered vermin.

Arthur initially studied honey!

We've had a fun week starting with Dave being bitten by a spider followed by getting burnt feet. Two guys broke into the foundation last night, which one of the girls discovered and she proceeded to screamed her lungs out (I think they got a bit of a shock!). Luckily Mark (the owner of Half Human and a hulking big South African) turned up just after the incident and proceeded to track them through the bush with two other volunteers. We have just booked our Safari with him so at least we know what we're letting our selves in for! Marney and Chesa should be joining us for the Safari if we can work out how to get them here from Madelane!!

Anyway better be off, baby monkeys to look after!

P.S Whilst typing this, a monkey came through the front door, grabbed a couple of apples then ran out again! Crazy!!